“The players swarmed round Greebo in the team changing room in the Nuln Black Powder stadium, ten minutes before running onto the pitch.

Team captain Snorri Darklight leant forwards, somehow seeming to loom over the much taller hobgoblin, despite only being tall enough to reach his chin.

'So let me get this right. It's a cup game; we're facing ogres and your knee is feeling too sore to play?'

Ominous rumbling noises came from the other players, particularly troll Mortex, who'd been kept on a strict no-hobgoblin diet for weeks ahead of the match.

Greebo gulped. 'S'right boss! I'm not kidding! If I could bend me stomping leg, I'd be swarming all over 'em like mice looking fer cheese!'

Only the sound of the ref banging on the door saved Greebo from his team-mates, coach Archevol coming in to give them a last pep talk before the game. Darklight leveled one meaty finger at his 'special team' player, rage burning in his red eyes.

'We'll be having a chat later, stunty. You better be brokking sicker than elves in striped pantyhose...'

The rain hammered down as the dwarves hit the field in Nuln. Facing nine ogres in the rain with no dirty tricks prepared was going to be tough...

”